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J. ERIOSSON.

STEERING APPARATUS.

(No Model.)

Patented A11 a: T:mT

STATES UNITE PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ERIUSSON, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO (JOR- NELIUS H. DELAMATER AND GEORGE H. ROBINSON, BOTH OF'SAME PLACE.

A. STEERING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,469, dated August 9, 1881.

Application filed May 28, 1881. (N0 model.)

Toall whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ERIOSSON, of the city, county, and State of New York, have iiivented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention, which is especially adapted for torpedo-vessels and other vessels of war, consists in hanging the rudder of a vessel entirely below the water-line to a rudder-post which constitutes an upward prolongation of the keel, or which projects upward from a prolongation of the heel and does not project above the water-line, thus reducing the liability of the rudder being carried away by an eneniys shot.

The invention also consists in a novel arrangement of hydraulic cylinders,pistons,and connections for working the rudder, the cylinders being arranged on the exteriorot' the vessel below the water-line, upon each "side of the keel, and the liquid for operating said pistons being conducted to said cylinders by pipes which extend to the interior of the vessel and are provided with suitable cocks or valves for regulating the flow of liquid through them.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a central longitudinal section of the after portion of a vessel, comprising a rudder and steering gear embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 represents a plan view of a portion of the keel and the rudder, and a sectional view of the steering-cylinders and connections.

Similar letters of reference designate corre sponding parts in both figures.

A designates the stern or after part of a vessel, which may be of any approved construction.

B designates the stern-post of the vessel, and O designates the propeller, and G the stern-bearing for the propeller-shaft, all of which are of the usual or other suitable construction.

D designates thekeel, and D designates the rudder-post,which forms an upward prolongation of the keel in rear of the stern-post, and Iwhich, as here represented, is forged with the xeel.

In lieu of being made in the same piece with the keel, the rudder-post might consist of a separate piece erected upon a rearward prolongation of the keel.

Upon therudder-postD are two rearwardlyprojecting lugs or arms, a; and E designates the rudder, which rests upon the lower lug or arm, and has in it a slot or notch, b to receive the upper lug or arm. The rudder is secured in place by a pin, 0, which may be inserted from above, and has hearings inthe two lugs or arms, a, and which may be firmly fastened within the rudder, and project sufficiently above the rudder to have an ordinary steeringgear applied, if desired.

It will be observed that the rudder and rudder-post are entirely'below the water-line, and this renders my invention particularly applicable not only to torpedo vessels, but to all I kinds of war-vessels, as the rudder is protected against shot and shell. As here represented, the rudder E extends forward of its center of movement, and thus serves to partly balance it.

Referring, now, to the mechanism for controlling the rudder, F F designate two bydraulic cylinders arranged upon opposite sides of the keel, upon the exterior of the vessel, and secured thereto by any suitable means. In each cylinder F is a piston, G, and the two pistons are connected by rods G with arms E,

projecting on opposite sides of the rudder E.

It will therefore be seen that by admitting liquid under pressure to one or the other of said cylinders F the rudder may be shifted as desired.

H H designate two pipes which extend forward from the cylinders F, one upon each side of the keel D, and which extend through the bottom of the vessel to a cock or valve, I, whereby the admission of liquid through either pipe to either cylinder and the exhaust of liquid from the other cylinder is controlled.

To the cock or valve I is secured a lever, cl, to the opposite ends of which are connected cords, chains, or other flexible connections, 0, which are passed over guide pulleys f, and thence to an ordinary steering-wheel located within the vessel. This wheel only requires to make a Sufiicient portion of a revolution to work the valve-lever d.

The liquid for operating the steering-pistons maybe taken from a pump or any other source of pressure, and the cook or valve for controlling the admission of liquid to the steeringcylinders, and the means employed to operate said cook or valve, may be modified as circumstances may require.

The arrangement of the steering-cylinders below the water-line, and in the position shown, upon each side of the keel, is very desirable, inasmuch as they are protected against injury from shot, and their pistons are connected directly with the rudder without the necessity of passing any rods or moving connections through the sides of the vessel.

The vessel represented is constructed with a double deck, or rather two decks, J J, the space between which I propose generally to make about three feet high, and intend to fill with floats composed of or filled with cork, or floats consisting of bags of india-rubber or other material inflated with air. The vessel is intended to be immersed to such depth that the under one, J, of these decks will be below the waterline, and the portion of the vessel below it will be protected in a great degree from enemys shot by the surrounding water. In case of the upper deck, J, or any part of the vessel above the deck J, being penetrated by a shot, such of the floats between the two decks as are not destroyed will continue to give buoyancy to the vessel.

I also construct all across the vessel, above the decks and in front of the pilothouse M, and in front of the base of the smoke-stack, (the vessel being intended to be propelled by steam-power,) a shield, K, composed of very heavy armor-plates, which are inclined upward and backward in such manner as to de fleet any shot or other projectiles that may strike it. This shield has a backing of solid timber, L, that would enable it to resist shot which might strike it at, or nearly at, a right angle.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a vessel, of a rudderpost which projects upward from a prolongation of the keel entirely below the water-line, and a rudder hinged thereto, and also entirely below the water-line, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

2. The combination, in a vessel, of a rudder having arms projecting from opposite sides, steering cylinders and pistons arranged upon the exterior of the vessel, one upon each side thereof, and connected with said rudder-arms, pipes from said cylinders extending through the hull to the interior of the vessel, and a valve or valves for controlling the admission of liquid through said pipes to said cylinders, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

3. The combination, in avessel with the rudder-post projecting upward from a prolongation of the keel and the rudder hinged thereto, both being entirelybelow the water-line, of the steering cylinders and pistons secured upon opposite sides of the keel and connected with the lower part of the rudder, pipes leading from said cylinders to the interior of the vessel, and a valve or valves for controlling the admission of liquid through said pipes to said cylinders, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

J. ERIOSSON. Witnesses S. WV. TAYLOR, FREDK. HAYNEs. 

